1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods for dispersing both warm and cold fogs or clouds. More particularly, this invention relates to the use of 1,1,1-tris-(hydroxymethyl)ethane in dispersing both warm and cold fogs or clouds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of attempting to modify the weather by causing rain to fall or fogs to disperse is an art in which there are many variables. There are many variables because no two clouds or fogs are exactly alike. For example, some clouds may be above or below the freezing point of water (warm and cold clouds) and still others have both warm and cold areas.
At the present time, the most prevalent chemical methods of dispersing warm fogs use hydroscopic materials. In one method, a solution of urea and ammonium nitrate is sprayed into a warm cloud. This method works well but previously used hydroscopic materials have essentially no effect on cold fogs. That is, if a fog has both warm and cold areas, the urea-nitrate solution, for example, will not produce ice crystals in the cold areas. Also, if it is desired to disperse fogs around an airport or the like where some areas are cold and others are warm, it is necessary to use the hereinafter described cold fog method on the cold areas.
The most prevalently used cold fog method involves dispersing silver iodide particles into the cloud. This method has drawbacks in that silver iodide has essentially no effect on warm clouds, in that silver iodide is expensive by virtue of there being limited amounts of silver available and in that silver iodide is toxic to some small organisms. It would, accordingly, be desirable if some material which had the fog dispersal or rainmaking capabilities of silver iodide but not the drawbacks could be found. And it would be especially desirable if the material could also be used to disperse warm fogs.
Insofar as is known by the inventor, there does not exist (in the prior art) a material which can be used on both warm and cold fogs. Nor is the inventor aware of the use of the compound of this invention in the weather modification art.